Great Lakes News

<> Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Support for Great Lakes Habitat Restoration - The new partnership, comprised of the Great Lakes Commission and state and local agencies, will receive over $1.7 million through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

<> Contamination monitored with bird blood - Scientists are measuring the contaminants in birds to track Great Lakes environmental trends and monitor the success of chemical cleanups. Birds that eat aquatic insects are especially good monitors of the environment. . .

<> Record heat and record ice: Astonishing scenes from Lake Superior - Near the southern shores of Lake Superior, fragments of ice still speckled the water's surface on Memorial Day weekend, an amazing contrast with the actual air temperature.

<> NDP Great Lakes critic moves to suspend OPG DGR approval - Activists opposed to Ontario Power Generation's plan to bury nuclear waste below the Bruce Nuclear Site in Kincardine, Ont., have found an ally in the federal NDP's Brian Masse [ ‎Member of Parliament  with the Federal New Democratic Party (NDP)]

<> Great Lakes states to fish for invasive species - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources joined state agencies from Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota, with the assistance of federal wildlife agencies, on Wednesday to complete an "invasive fish surveillance exercise" 

<> Deal reached to improve Lake Erie - An agreement was announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that could result in an eventual phase-down of the practice of redepositing dredged sediment into Lake Erie.

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes Dredging Team - The Great Lakes Dredging Team (GLDT) has launched a new, updated website. The GLDT site was created and is maintained by the Great Lakes Commission.

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes senators urge Senate committee to take up bill to clean and restore the lakes - a bipartisan group of ten Great Lakes senators are urging the Senate Environment and Public Works committee to take action on the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act – S.1232.

<> Chairwoman Stabenow, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Launch National Initiative that Will Make Major Investment in Great Lakes Conservation - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack launched a national conservation initiative that will protect. . .

• Coalition: New Farm Bill Program Will Help Great Lakes
• USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program

<> Invasive species field course - The Inland Seas Association's Invasive Species Field Course has been developed to teach educators and environmental professionals about invasive species in the Great Lakes region. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Summary report does not point out risk of Asian carp in Canadian waters - The summary of public comments on the Great Lakes Mississippi Interbasin Study report says that more than 1,600 comments were submitted from more than 1,800 individuals, organizations, government agencies from 43 states. . .

<> It's Memorial Day weekend and there's still ice on Lake Superior -  While the season has passed for most of us, there's still reminders in Michigan's Upper Peninsula of the historically cold and snowy winter. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Eleven Great Lakes senators press Army Corps of Engineers on evaluation of Soo Locks replacement project

<> Senate passes legislation to protect and conserve the Great Lakes, boost region's economy - The Water Resources Reform and Development Act, which passed the Senate with a broad bipartisan majority 91-7, ensures that for the first time the Great Lakes are treated as a single navigational system, increases funding for harbor maintenance, and provides broader authority for the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent the infiltration of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

<> Watch huge bank of fog spread over Lake Michigan - Impressive video footage of a thick bank of fog that eventually descended over Lake Michigan in Holland, Mich., was captured by a fisherman this week.

<> MyBeachCast app updates Great Lakes conditions - Beach conditions in the Great Lakes region can be easily checked on a smartphone app created by the Great Lakes Commission.. . .

<> Webinar: "Monitoring the US Ocean and Great Lakes Economy" - Monitoring the US Ocean and Great Lakes Economy Wednesday, June 4, 2014 2:00 – 3:00pm EST Presenter(s): Jeff Adkins and Linwood Pendleton A lot of people's livelihoods depend on the resources of the oceans and Great Lakes. . .

<> National Wildlife Federation: Burying Nuclear Waste Near Great Lakes 'Shockingly Bad Idea' - NWF supports Michigan legislation asking Canada to reconsider plan to store radioactive waste one-quarter mile from Lake Huron. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota launch campaign to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species - a new public service campaign to help carry a consistent message encouraging boaters and anglers to take steps to avoid accidentally spreading aquatic invasive species

<> When will Lake Superior ice melt? - It's starting to feel like summer, but it doesn't look like it on Lake Superior. Ice is still stacked up on the Duluth shoreline.

 

<> IJC Newsletter - Lake Superior Regulation, Tasty Detroit River Fish, and Fighting Hydrilla - Bi-weekly International Joint Commission Newsletter update - Via IJC.org International Joint Commission - Bi-Weekly Newsletter Outflows through the St Marys River, a Step Forward in the Detroit River, and Fighting Hydrilla in the. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Little things matter in Great Lakes beach, water pollution - While volunteers can pluck debris left on the beaches, a new threat from tiny plastic beads is on the rise in the water."What we find on the beach is closely linked to what we find in the water," said Sherri A. Mason, associate professor. . .

 

<> Great Lakes states examine alternatives to coal-fired power plants - Even as environmental groups push for alternative energy sources across the Great Lakes Basin and as some lawmakers encourage efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions, most energy powering homes still comes from coal. . .

<> Crews to survey St. Clair River for sea lampreys - Sea lampreys look alien, and Jim Frazer had a close encounter of the worst kind with one last weekend during the Port Huron Spring Fling salmon fishing tournament. . .

<> Algae bloom likely on Lake Erie - The forecast for Lake Erie this summer looks like it will be calling for another outbreak of algae on the water.

<> Lake Erie sediment dumping debate isn't going away - A decision preventing sediment dredged out of Cleveland's harbor from being dumped into Lake Erie has satisfied those worried about it fouling fish and drinking water but it won't end the debate over what to do with silt scooped out. . .

<> Coal-fired SS Badger ferry returns to service - The S.S. Badger, last coal-fired, steam-powered passenger ferry in North America is back in service.

<> OP-ED – Toledo Blade: To restore Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes, cut phosphorus - Toledo Blade. May 18, 2014 GUEST EDITORIAL By Jim Olson To restore Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes, cut phosphorus The principle of public trust, and the duties it imposes. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Senators Stabenow, Levin Applaud Efforts to Protect Great Lakes in Water Resources Development Act - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin applauded the House-Senate conference agreement on the Water Resources Development Act that for the first time treats the Great Lakes as a single navigational system, increases funding for harbor maintenance, and provides broader authority for the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent breakthrough of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

• Great Lakes deal in Congress may boost dredging efforts - A compromise measure on water resourcesdevelopment unveiled in Congress Thursday could result in more spending for dredging Great Lakes harbors and shipping channels, though it wasn't immediately known how. . .

• H.R.3080 Legislative Details

<> Lake Michigan finally thaws after months of record-breaking ice - Although the swimming season remains weeks away, Lake Michigan finally has shaken off winter's grip and is officially free of ice.

<> National Park Service maps Lake Superior's floor, uncovering mysteries along the way - Lake Superior's bottom will be scanned by sonar and laser beams around national parks this summer, as part of a U.S. National Park Service project to map the lake floor.

Great Lakes News

<> Adaptation in the Great Lakes Region - Join researchers and practitioners from the Great Lakes region and beyond from June 24-26th to learn about climate adaptation efforts in various sectors and across various scales, foster collaboration, and discuss next steps. . .

<> Federal Court says no to new nuclear reactors on Lake Ontario - May 15, 2014 - 9:29pm Photo: Darlington Nuclear Generating Station on Lake Ontario. The proposal to build two new nuclear. . .

<> Council of Great Lakes Governors' COMPASS Newsletter - the May 2014 edition of the newsletter is available

<> Virtual Townhall Webinar (Recorded) – Nutrient Pollution, Harmful Algal Blooms, and Dead Zones in the Great Lakes

<> SUNY Buffalo State heads $2 million project to investigate ecology of emerald shiner - Scientists at SUNY Buffalo State are taking the lead in a $2 million project to safeguard the environmental health of the upper Niagara River, N.Y., for the Western New Yorkers end all that may depend on the emerald shiner.

<> Great Lakes Governors Meet with Protection Fund Board Members in Chicago - Great Lakes Protection Fund board members reviewed 25 years of Fund activity with several member governors, senior staff representing the premiers of Quebec and Ontario. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Lake Superior could have ice linger into June - Many lakes across northeastern Minnesota still have plenty of ice on them, and that includes the largest of the Great Lakes. At the end of the weekend, Superior was still more than 23% ice covered.

<> Inland Seas needs Facebook votes to set sail with $25,000 grant - A group that teaches people about the Great Lakes from aboard a schooner is vying for $25,000 to provide scholarships and scientific equipment to further its work. The deciding factor? Facebook votes.

<> Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Regional Body and Compact Council Meetings--June 13, 2014

• Regional Body
• Compact Council

Great Lakes News

7,000-mile Great Lakes trail through U.S., Canada goal of Saugatuck conference - "The idea is to develop something we can market as a world class trekking destination to the United States, Canada and the rest of the world."

Great Lakes News

<> EDITORIAL: On Great Lakes restoration, let's make sure we finish the job - U.S. Representative Sander Levin writes about the immense challenge of cleaning up the Great Lakes.

<> Forecasting the future of Michigan's great lakes - While the forecast for rising lakes levels does look pretty good right now, it does appear that a new El Nino event may be brewing for next winter and in the long-term forecast, you can expect ups and downs of the lake levels.

<> Ontario study: climate change impacts freshwater fish range - New research in Ontario shows that climate change is affecting where some freshwater fish species gotta swim. The northern boundaries of sportfish species have moved further north in the past three decades. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Lake Erie Improvement Association presents Healing the Lake: Bring Back the Blue - LEIA is a Lake Erie watershed-wide economic sustainability initiative dedicated to healthy waters and fish by promoting cooperation and wise resource management for the benefit of the Lake Erie basin.

<> Latest IJC Bi-Weekly Newsletter - Includes:IJC Receives Progress Reports from Boards, Publishes 2013 Activities Report, and more

Great Lakes News

<> Public trust demands a Great Lakes phosphorous diet - The International Joint Commission is urging states and provinces to stop the pollution creating algae blooms throughout the Great Lakes. It recommends cutting at least by half the phosphorus entering the Great Lakes from farms. . .

<> Plan to stop invasive species in Lake Michigan is paused - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not be able to immediately address the movement of invasive species between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins, as it has have to wait for higher-up authorities to come to a final

• Public Comments: Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) Report

<> DOE Doesn't Fund Lake Erie offshore wind demonstration project - But DOE will make a significant investment through a different funding stream to continue the Front End Engineering Design

Great Lakes News

<> Climate change's effect here: More severe weather, higher crop yields - Climate change is expected to bring more severe weather, increased crop yields and a longer Great Lakes shipping season to Illinois and the Midwest, the White House said Tuesday in its report on global warming.

• Key Messages About the Midwest from the National Climate Assessment (NCA)
• NCA Midwest Chapter

Great Lakes News

<> Public Comments: Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) Report - The GLMRIS Report, public comments received during the public comment period (Jan 6 - Mar 31), public meeting materials, public meeting transcripts and other information pertaining to the GLMRIS Report.

<> Call to action: Reinvestment in Great Lakes vital to economic health of the Great Lakes region - Cameron Davis: "This is a program that has incredibly strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill in Washington DC," he says. "As long as that's the case and as long as it's showing results like it is, the program can continue to keep the Great Lakes. . .

<> After record April, still ice on the Great Lakes - After an unseasonably cold April, no one will be surprised to find the Great Lakes saw its greatest April ice cover since record keeping began in 1973. . .

<> Lake Superior hits highest April level in 16 years - The level of Lake Superior keeps rising, and it started this month 2 inches above the long-term normal and 14 inches above the level at this time last year. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes brace for more toxic algae - It's spring, and the heavy snowmelt and rain is good news for farmers and scientists who have been worried about drought the last few years. But all that water has other consequences for the Great Lakes. . .

<> Early-bird Deadline Extended to May 9th! GLSLCI Annual Meeting and Conference - The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI), 11th Annual Annual Meeting and Conference, Thunder Bay, Ontario, June 18, 19 and 20.

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes brace for more toxic algae - It's spring, and the heavy snowmelt and rain is good news for farmers and scientists who have been worried about drought the last few years. But all that water has other consequences for the Great Lakes. . .

<> Regional expert in Muskegon breaks down Great Lakes war against Asian carp - Great Lakes Commission Policy Director Matt Doss discussed the Asian carp and the health of the Great Lakes during a forum sponsored by the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission.

<> Great Lakes ice cover from brutal winter could lead to a chilly summer - At least one Great Lakes ice researcher thinks the domino effect could continue into a chilly fall and an early start to next winter -- and beyond.

Great Lakes News

<> Protecting the Great Lakes: Schuette, Wyant Request Details on Status of 61-Year-Old Mackinac Straits Enbridge Oil Pipelines – Michigan Officials' Letter to Enbridge Requests Information on Construction of Pipelines, Inspections, Leak Prevention, Detection and Control Plans (links to letter and attachment). Response due in 60-days.

• NWF Supports Michigan Effort to Get More Information on Straits of Mackinac Pipeline

<> Midwest braces for effects of still-frozen Great Lakes - With some areas of the Great Lakes having ice layers over two feet deep, it is hard to predict when they will fully melt, and what sort of environmental effects will be seen when they do. Lake Superior, is still over 60 percent frozen.

<> Chicago stops short of petroleum coke ban - A revised zoning ordinance outlaws new storage terminals while requiring three existing operations along the Calumet River to file quarterly reports on the amount of petroleum coke and coal shipped through Chicago. . .

• Chicago's Petcoke Problem: City Council Ordinance Moves in the Right Direction - CHICAGO (April 30, 2014) – Chicago's City Council today prohibited more oil refining waste storage sites from blighting the city's neighborhoods, air and waterways with the passage of an ordinance aimed at banning new coal and. . .